Itinerary
- Day 1
Budapest
You'll arrive in Budapest before 5:00 PM to board your Scenic Space-Ship. The city spreads across both sides of the Danube with a mix of Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings that reflect its long history. Plan your flight to get there in time for an evening orientation or early dinner.
- Day 2
Mohács
When you reach Mohács, a small town on the Danube known for the 16th century Battle of Mohács, you can pick from three options. Take a guided tour of Pécs to see the telephone exchange and Turkish baths, head to Villány wine village for red wine tastings, or visit the Zsolnay Ceramics Museum to check out local pottery traditions.
Optional Activities
- Guided tour of Pécs including first telephone exchange (1885) and Turkish Bath of Pasha Memi
- Villány wine village visit with sampling of local red wines from historic cellars
- Zsolnay Ceramics Museum visit - hand-painted ceramics collection in former factory
Landmarks/POIs Turkish Bath of Pasha Memi Zsolnay Ceramics Museum - Day 3
Osijek
The ship stops in Osijek, Croatia, where paprika, local sausages, and river fish are signature foods. You'll choose between a guided walking tour through the Baroque Old Town and fortress, wine tasting in the Baranja region, or an included lunch with a local Croatian family to get a real sense of their cooking.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch with local Croatian family in their home with fresh vegetables from their garden)
Included Activities
- Lunch with local Croatian family in their home with fresh vegetables from their garden
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Osijek including Baroque Old Town, fortress, traditional and classical music
- Baranja wine region visit with wine tasting experience
Landmarks/POIs Osijek Fortress Osijek Baroque Old Town - Day 4
Belgrade
In Belgrade, Serbia's capital, the Sava and Danube rivers meet at what locals call the 'Door to Central Europe'. Pick a morning activity like a guided walking tour of iconic sites, a panoramic tour including Tito's Memorial, or a cycling tour along the Danube. By afternoon you'll have free time to wander through bohemian Skardalija Street, and there's an optional visit to St. Sava Temple, the Balkans' largest Orthodox temple.
Included Activities
- Scenic Enrich: Visit to St. Sava Temple with church choir performance in crypt
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Belgrade including cobbled streets of Bohemian Quarter and Kalemegdan Fortress
- Panoramic tour of Belgrade with Tito's Memorial and Old Town Ottoman heritage sites
- Cycling tour along the Danube
Landmarks/POIs Kalemegdan Fortress St. Sava Temple Skardalija Street Tito's Memorial - Day 5
Djerdap Gorge (Iron Gates)
You'll cruise through the Djerdap Gorge, where four narrow gorges and soaring cliffs form the natural border between Serbia and Romania. Look for the rock carving of King Decebalus as the ship moves through. Spend your day relaxing in your suite or on the Sun Deck with views of the Danube stretching out below.
Landmarks/POIs Decebalus Rock Carving Iron Gates (Djerdap Gorge) - Day 6
Svishtov or Rousse
Arriving in Svishtov, Bulgaria, you can either take a full day trip to Veliko Tarnovo (City of the Kings) and the village of Arbanassi, or stay on board and cruise to Rousse for a guided city tour and piano recital. Both options let you see different sides of Bulgarian heritage and culture.
Optional Activities
- Full day excursion to Veliko Tarnovo and Arbanassi with panoramic views of old town and Asenevtski Brothers Monument
- Walking tour of Rousse (stay on ship option) with local guide and exclusive piano recital
Landmarks/POIs Asenevtski Brothers Monument Veliko Tarnovo - Day 7
Silistra
You'll dock early in Silistra, Bulgaria, a historic town with Turkish fortress ruins and Roman-era sites throughout. Choose between a guided walk to Silistra Fort, a visit to Alfatar Village with its ethnographic museum and local school, or exploration of the ancient Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari where you'll see burial chambers carved into rock.
Optional Activities
- Active walk to Silistra Fort with guided tour and historical information
- Excursion to Alfatar Village including ethnographic museum, customary attire, school visit with choir performance
- Sveshtari Thracian Secrets guided tour of ancient Thracian Tomb with Bulgarian heritage and culinary experiences
Landmarks/POIs Silistra Fort Sveshtari Thracian Tomb - Day 8
Bucharest
After leaving the ship, you'll transfer to Bucharest, once nicknamed the 'Paris of the East'. A coach tour will take you past key squares and landmarks from south Bucharest to Primaverii Palace. Then you'll pick between touring Ceaușescu's Spring Palace with its elegant rooms or visiting the Village Open Air Museum. Dinner that evening brings you together with fellow travelers at your hotel.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner with fellow guests)
Included Activities
- Orientation tour of Bucharest by coach including Union Square, University Square, Roman Square, Victory Square, Charles de Gaulle Square, and Primaverii Palace
Optional Activities
- Ceaușescu's Spring Palace visit - 1960s residence with 80 rooms featuring silk wallpaper, wood panels, paintings, mosaics, marble, Murano glass chandeliers
- Village Open Air Museum featuring ethnographic exhibits with authentic houses, barns, churches rebuilt using traditional techniques
Landmarks/POIs Primaverii Palace Union Square University Square Village Open Air Museum - Day 9
Bucharest to Istanbul
You'll take an included flight from Bucharest to Istanbul, Turkey's largest city with over 15 million people. The day focuses on travel and settling into this blend of cultures, cuisines, architecture, and thousands of years of history that will shape the rest of your journey.
- Day 10
Istanbul
Istanbul's history stretches back thousands of years, and you'll walk through layers of it today. Visit Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque on either side of Sultanahmet Park, then tour Topkapi Palace. From ancient settlements through Constantinople to modern Istanbul, you're seeing how this city continually reinvents itself.
Included Activities
- Visit to Hagia Sophia
- Visit to Blue Mosque
- Visit to Topkapi Palace
Landmarks/POIs Hagia Sophia Blue Mosque Topkapi Palace Sultanahmet Park - Day 11
Istanbul to Çanakkale
From Istanbul, you'll travel to Çanakkale, which sits on the edge of the Dardanelle Strait and serves as the gateway to WWI Gallipoli and the ancient city of Troy. Your evening is free, so consider joining locals along the waterfront promenade to experience modern Turkish culture and get a feel for how people live here.
- Day 12
Gallipoli
You'll spend the day at Gallipoli, the significant WWI battlefield that's now a national park. Stand at ANZAC Cove where soldiers came ashore on 25 April 1915. Walk through Lone Pine and the Nek, then pass through 31 cemeteries scattered across the peninsula. It's a quiet, reflective experience thinking about the eight-month campaign and the sacrifice it demanded.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Gallipoli National Park including ANZAC Cove, Lone Pine, the Nek, and 31 cemeteries
Landmarks/POIs ANZAC Cove Gallipoli National Park Lone Pine Cemetery The Nek - Day 13
Troy
The ancient city of Troy has been shrouded in mystery and legend for over 3,000 years. When archaeologists found ruins in late 19th century Turkey, Homer's Iliad stories became real. You'll tour the 4,000-year-old ruins, see the replica Trojan Horse, and learn the actual history. After that, you'll head back toward Istanbul in the afternoon.
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Troy ruins (4,000 years old)
- Visit to replica Trojan Horse
Landmarks/POIs Troy Trojan Horse - Day 14
Istanbul
Your morning opens up with a choice: learn Turkish cooking secrets and prepare traditional dishes yourself, or explore the Grand Bazaar with its thousands of shops where you can pick up traditional Turkish coffee. Tonight you'll cruise the Bosphorus Strait between ferries and fishing boats, passing famous monuments and historic minarets. The evening wraps up with a farewell dinner at Hamdi Restaurant overlooking the Golden Horn.
- Meals
- Dinner (Farewell dinner at Hamdi Restaurant with views over the Golden Horn)
Included Activities
- Scenic Enrich: Bosphorus Strait cruise with monuments and minarets
- Scenic Enrich: Farewell dinner at Hamdi Restaurant with Golden Horn views
Optional Activities
- Turkish cooking class learning to make traditional dishes
- Grand Bazaar visit with thousands of shops and traditional Turkish coffee
Landmarks/POIs Bosphorus Strait Golden Horn Grand Bazaar Hamdi Restaurant - Day 15
Istanbul to Departure
Listen to the traditional Muslim call to prayer echo across Istanbul in the early morning hours. After breakfast, you'll transfer to the airport for your departure. Keep in mind that this itinerary may shift for operational reasons like high and low water levels.
- Meals
- Breakfast
